Bhubaneswar: Odisha govt has proposed a panel of 11 senior IPS officers to the UPSC, setting in motion the process of appointing a successor to DGP Y B Khurania, whose tenure ends on Aug 31.“Earlier this month, the state had sent three names, but following the UPSC’s instruction, a broader list of 11 officers was submitted last week,” a senior govt official said.The panel of probable candidates includes Sudhanshu Sarangi (1990 batch), Susanta Kumar Nath and R P Koche (1993), Sanjeeb Panda and Yeshwant Kumar Jethwa (1994), Ritu Arora, Saumendra Priyadarshi, Santosh Bala and P S Ranpise (1995), along with Arun Bothra and Sunita Kakran (1996). Of them, Sarangi, Nath and Koche are DGP-ranked, while the rest are ADGPs with over three decades of service.As per the procedure, states should propose DGP-rank officers meeting seniority and eligibility norms, with at least six months of service left before retirement from the date of vacancy. In 2023, UPSC reduced the minimum service requirement from 30 to 25 years, allowing smaller states and Union territories to nominate ADG-rank officers with 25-30 years of service if the DGP-ranked officers are unavailable. The UPSC then shortlists three names, from which the state appoints one.“Since UPSC’s mandate is to shortlist three names from a pool of multiple contenders, its role is of little use when only three names are sent. Hence, we revised the list to 11 officers who meet the eligibility criteria,” the official said.Odisha currently has four DGP-ranked officers besides Khurania — Sarangi, Nath, Koche and Vinaytosh Mishra. Mishra, currently serving as DG (crime branch), is out of contention as he retires in Nov, failing to meet the six-month residual tenure required from the date of the incumbent’s retirement.Going by speculations, Sarangi and Koche are seen as front-runners, while Panda and Jethwa are emerging as strong contenders for the top post.Retired DSP S K Pattnaik said the appointment should be merit-based, with suitability judged on service records and range of experience. Even though political considerations and chief minister’s decision matter during appointment of top posts, the UPSC and govt should ensure the best officer is picked, added Pattnaik.
